Bulb-cullet-centering device



Nov. 4, 1930.

C. FL E|SCHMANN BULB CULLET CENTERING DEVICE Filed Sept. 11, 1928 INVENTOR C.FLE :scnmwu BY 9 ATTORNEY which are of glass.

Patented Nov. 4, 1930 CHRISTIAN FLEISGHMANN, 01" BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING-r HOUSE LAM]? COMPANY, A CORPOIRATION OF PENNSYLVANIA BULB-CULLET-CENTERING DEVICE Application filed September 11, 1928. Serial No. 305,232.

This invention relates to machines for manufacturing incandescent lamps, or the like, and relates more particularly to machines for sealing a bulb to a mount.

An incandescent electric .lamp as commonly manufactured includes an internal structure, termed the mount, consisting of a flare tube, an exhaust tube and an arbor, all of These parts" are fused together at a common point in what is termed a press, and leading-n wires or conductors extend through the press, having end s connected with a filament supported on wires radially disposed on the free end of the arbor.

The flare tube of the mount is provided with a flange, which is of slightly less diameter than the neck of a bulb to which the mount is to be united. When the mount is disposed within a bulb, the flange portion of the flare tube is positioned in a substantially cylindrical portion of the neck of the bulb, leaving the lower portion of the neck to be cut off after the flange portion of the mount is sealed to the neck. The cut-off portion, or excess material, is termed the cullet.

In the operation of fusing the mount to the bulb, it is desirable while'the fires are directed against the outer portion of the neck of the bulb to rotate the entire .bulbholding mechanism at relatively high speed so that a uniform distribution of heat is attained about the bulb neck and this operation of uniting the bulb and mount-is termed a sealing-in operation.

During the sealing-in operation, it is import-ant to properly hold the spherical portion of the bulb and, in addition, it is essential to properly grip the lower portion of the neck of the bulb, termed the cullet, so that during the sealing-in operation a rotation of the sealing-in mechanism, which is termed the sealing-in head, will not throw the cullet out of alignment due to the centrifugal force resulting from the rotary motion of the parts being worked upon, namely the bulb and mount.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide in animproved form a mechanism wherein the cullet may be held in proper axial'alignmentwith the head during the scaling-in operation.

-Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically securing and releasing a cullet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing-in head having means whereby the cullet may be held in proper relation to the axis of rotation of the head in opposition to centrifugal forces.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, together with the accompanying drawing in which, 7

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sealing-in head with portions broken away to show the present cullet-holding mechanism with the jaws open;

Fi ure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing t e jaws closed;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a sealing-in head embodying the mechanism shown in Figure 1; and a Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the sealing-in head shown in Figure 3.

As shown in the drawing, a sealing-in head 10 may be provided with a central spindle 11 adapted for application to a sealing-in machine, wherein it may be rotated by any suitable mechanism (not shown). Machines employing heads of the present character usually include a rotary conveyor upon which theheads are disposed in spaced relation, the conveyor operating intermittently by suitable indexing mechanism. Thus the heads are carried around from one station to another and while at certain stations, such, for example, as the position for applying heat to the bulb for the sealing-in operation, mechanism operates to rotate the head at high speed. The conveyor mechanism and the various parts thereof are not shown in the drawing inasmuch as machines of this type .are well known in the lamp art.

At the upper end of the spindle 11 is a chuck 12 adapted to receive an exhaust tube 13 of a mount 14:, the mount also including a flare tube 15, and an arbor 16 consolidated in a press 17. At the upperend of the mount. is shown .a filament 18 mounted on support wires 19, the usual leading-in conductors beingxprovlded. As shown 1n the drawing, a

flange portion of the flare tube is disposed within a neck 21 of a bulb 22, the lower portion or cullet 23 of the bulb being positioned about the chuck 12. The bulb is seated on an adapter 24, carried on posts 25 and 26, the said posts being mounted in collars on a cross piece 27. An additional bracket member 28 is provided as a guide for the chuck mechanism 12, which mechanism may be of any suitable type, the one indicated operating to secure the exhaust tube 13 to hold the mount in alignment with the axis of the head.

Mechanism for securing the cullet in accordance with the present invention may comprise a bent arm 30 having an end 31 pivoted between collars 32 and 33 on the posts 25. The opposite or free end 34 of the arm 30 is provided with a roller 35 for engagement with a cam 36 to cause a movement of the arm in one direction while a cam 37 is positioned to engage with portion 38 of the arm to cause its movement in an opposite direction. The said cams may be fastened to the stationary structure of a machine and may be so disposed that when the heads are moved throu h a given path the roller 35 and portion 38 of the said arm will engage With the cams to oscillate the said arm 30.

Means for engaging the bulb neck or cullet may comprise a pair of jaws 39 and 40 pivoted at 41 and 42, respectively, on the arm 30.

The jaw 39 is provided with apinion 43,

while the jaw 40 is also provided with a similar pinion 44 in mesh with the pinion 43. For the purpose of actuating the jaws upon a movement of the arm 30, the jaw 40 is provided with an extension 45 having an arcuate slot 46 in which a pin 47 is disposed. The

said pin is relatively stationary and mounted on a bracket 48 secured to the post 26.

It will be evident that a movement of the arm 30 will carry the aws to or from the bulb neck and, by reason of the engagement between the curved surface of the slot 46 and the pin 47, the jaw 40 will have a relative movement with respect to the arm 30 toward the bulb neck and that an opposite similar movement will be imparted to the jaw 39 by reason of the pinions 4.1 and 42.

When a bulb is positioned in the sealing-in head, the aws being normally open, the head is moved on a conveyor until the cam 37 engages the portion 38 of the arm 30. This causes a movement of the arm about its pivot with a consequent movement of the jaw 40 and the jaw 39by reason of the pin 47, thereby closing the jaws about a bulb neck. When the jaws have been closed the head may be rotated at high speed without danger of the cullet being released, since the construction of the jaws. is'such that the centrifugal force which would ordinarily tend to open the jaws is opposed by the pin 47, thus maintaining the aws 1n their desired close engagement with the cullet during the operations to be .the cullet 23. Afterthe sealing-in operation has been performed the head is moved to another position. The cam 36 engages with the roller 25, thereby causing amovement of the cullet and the consequent opening up of jaws to release the cullet, the sealed bulb then being in condition to be removed from the head.

The present device, as above set forth, is particularly adapted for use in connection with machines operated at high speed since it securely grips the neck or cullet of the bulb and maintains the same with its longitudinal axis substantially coincident With the axial line of the rotating head. Hereto'lore, difiiculty has been experienced in connection with the sealing-in operation at high speed since the centrifugal forces caused a deflection of the bulb neck or cullet, causing it to divert from its proper path of rotation, thus giving poor seals in that the flare tube was not sealed to the bulb in the proper symmetrical relation The present invention provides a simple and effective mechanism for properly holding the bulb neck during the sealing-in operation and avoids the detrimental effect of centrifugal forces upon the fused parts.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable sealing-in head comprising a seat for supporting a lamp bulb, movable members for engaging a bulb neck, one of said members having an arcuate slot and means in said slot operating in conjunction with one of said members to maintain said members engaged with said neck.

2 A rotatable sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb, a movable arm, a pair. of jaws mounted on said arm, one of said jaws having an arcuate slot, means for actuating said arm and means operable in said slot upon movement of said armto cause said jaws to engage with the neck of said bulb.

3. A rotatable sealing-in head-comprising means for supporting a bulb, an oscillatory arm, a pair of jaws mounted on said arm, means for actuating said arm, means operable upon a movement of said arm to engage jaws pivoted on said member, means for actuating said member and means operable upon a movement of said member to cause said jaws to engage the neck of said bulb.

5. A rotatable sealing-in head comprising a bulb support, a rockable member, a pair of jaws pivoted on said member, means for actuating said member, means operable upon a movement of said member to cause said jaws to engage the neck of said bulb and means for maintaining said jaws engaged with said neck in opposition to centrifugal force during a rotation of said head.

6. A sealing-in-head comprising a support for a bulb, an oscillating member, a pair of oscillating jaws pivoted on said member and means for causing an actuation of said jaws upon a movement of said oscillating member.

Y 7. A bulb ripping device comprising a movable mem er, a pair of jaws pivoted on said member and means for causing an actuation of said 'aws upon a movement of said movable mem er.

8. A bulb gripping device comprising a pivotedmember, a pair of jaws mounted on said member and means for causing an actuation of said jawsupon a movement of said movable member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of September,

CHRISTIAN FLEISCHMANN. 

